Ghosts. Photo: BBC

With the fifth and final series set to transmit on BBC One beginning this Friday, Ghosts will ‘rest in peace’ this December with a Christmas special to mark the end after 5 series and 33 episodes. “It’s time to wave goodbye to the inhabitants of Button House and focus on new projects,” said ‘the Ghosts team.

The Ghosts team consists of the original stars of Horrible Histories, Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond. Ghosts centers around a cash-strapped young couple (Alison and Mike Cooper) who inherit a grand country house, only to find it is both falling apart and teeming with the ghosts of former inhabitants. Fans of Call the Midwife might recognize Charlotte Ritchie as Nurse Barbara Gilbert (Hereward) from 2015-2018.

Each ghost is very much a product of their time over different centuries, resigned to squabbling with each other for all eternity over the most inane of daily gripes. Unfortunately, the Coopers cannot leave for financial reasons and the ghosts are bound to the mansion’s land until they can ascend into the afterlife, both sides eventually agree that they have to coexist as best they can. It will be interesting to see how the final series and subsequent Christmas special plays out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQy2BFwIKTU

For my money, Ghosts was one of the best British comedies to come along in some time. The premise, while about as odd of a pitch as I’m guessing Being Human was on paper, really worked as the ensemble cast from Horrible Histories and Yonderland brought a welcome freshness to the really good writing by the original Ghosts team.

And, magically, just in time for holiday gift giving, the stars have written a companion book, “The Button House Archives” to tie in with the final series, which will be published on 26th October.

Ghosts returns to BBC One this Friday (through November 10) with a final Christmas special this December.